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A link to photos will appear at the conclusion of the report. Food and accommodations at each camp were excellent. All staff and guides (Duba= James 007, Vumbura = Z, Zibalianja = BB) were outstanding.

This safari started with a bang! Literally. As the Sefofane charter with 8 of us aboard was about 10 minutes out from Duba Plains, I was startled out of my drowsy aerial sightseeing by a loud thud outside the right windshield of the plane. The pilot immediately informed us that we had hit a bird. The poor bird was the loser in that confrontation.

There was no additional excitement on the plane until we taxied down Duba’s airstrip after a safe landing. That’s when we saw it! One quarter of the Duba Plains wildebeest herd was migrating from one end of the airstrip to the other in a wild welcoming gallop. Then suddenly it was gone. “It” being the one wildebeest out of the herd of four. A few days later either that quarter of the herd or a different one-fourth would be spotted hanging out with the tsessebee.

Bridget, the hostess at Duba, gave me my welcome briefing in the gazebo overlooking a large marsh in front of camp. Throughout our conversation a Spur-winged goose kept flapping around, making itself quite conspicuous. I hoped its mate was not what the plane had knocked from the sky. After the briefing I hit the loo and was greeted with a lovely poster showing Botswana’s endangered birds. Of course I sat there speculating which one we may have obliterated. Not even an hour out of Maun and I had already violated the “leave only footprints, take only pictures” motto of eco-tourism.

My guide at Duba was James 007 and I have this forum to thank for that wonderful recommendation. This was the first time I had ever requested a private vehicle and guide. I made the request at the height of the excessive rains because I was concerned that with the extra water, getting to the lions at Duba might require an effort that I’d be willing to put forth but might not suit my potential vehicle-mates. The private vehicle turned out to be such a blessing but not for the reason I had intended.

Regardless of the number of people in the vehicle, if the buffalo move to an inaccessible part of the concession, the lions may follow, but the vehicles cannot. Even in drier years, it is not until late Aug or early Sept that the area known as Paradise can be reached by vehicle.

In fact, the day before I arrived a couple of guests had wanted to see the Skimmer Pride and went with the Mawalusy, the camp manager, to the far reaches of Duba Plains in search of them. They were successful, but on the way back the vehicle got stuck in the water, which required them to abandon it and wade through areas where they had earlier seen hippos and crocs. The rescue involved a tractor, which also got stuck, and another vehicle that brought them to safety. The woman came back to camp minus her soaked trousers, wearing one of those fashionable ponchos from the vehicle as a skirt.

So even a private vehicle could not get me to Paradise in mid-August. But I discovered a private vehicle was a necessity where lions hunt and interact with the buffalo primarily during the day, which is the rare case at Duba and Vumbura. If you wish to see that interaction you have to stick with the pride all day long and wait for them to make their move, which may not coincide with the morning or late afternoon game drives. Splurging for a private vehicle at Duba is some of the best money I ever spent.

After tea, I hopped into the “Bondmobile” with my guide, James 007, who had guided the Jouberts for two years in the making of Relentless Enemies and had taken Kenneth Newman, the bird book author, on seven safaris. “Wow,” I thought, “This is going to be an experience of a lifetime.” And it was for 10 minutes. That’s when the Bondmobile conked out. James did his best looking under the hood and checking wires, but it just wouldn’t start. Another vehicle pulled up next to us and I joined the couple and their guide and off we went.

About 30 minutes later we were enjoying a pair of bat eared foxes when James located us with his new vehicle. So I rejoined James and discovered the new vehicle was the one that had been abandoned in the water on the way back from the Skimmer pride. The plastic binocular/bird book/water bottle holders behind the seats were still filled with water! James was quite apologetic for the rocky start. Oh well, at least we were rolling now.

Whatever the breakdown did to delay or alter our route, it put us in the perfect spot for a first for both James and me. I saw movement at about 20 meters and suggested the creature looked doglike. James confirmed it was an aardwolf. I took a few photos and asked if we could try to get closer. James slowly approached and the aardwolf was quite relaxed going about its aardwolf business. It even stopped for a short snooze. We slowly moved closer and gauged the aardwolf’s reaction, which remained unconcerned. We ended up about 3 meters from it with unobstructed views in very good light and hung out with it for at least 15 minutes. James said he had never had such a good aardwolf sighting, nor had I, of course. (So there, Derek and Beverly Joubert!!)

My first afternoon and evening at Duba Plains proved to be ironic in its abundance of excellent canine sightings, as opposed to sightings of its famous felines. We came upon an open field of eight bat eared fox, all visible in a panoramic view. I had sundowners with eight bat eared fox! I discovered those little foxes do not offer an adequate silhouette with the setting sun in the background. So I deleted the bat eared fox sunset shots but did enjoy their company.

That night we spotted another aardwolf and some more bat eared fox. We stumbled upon just one lioness by accident as we were tracking the foxes in the spotlight. So that made for two aardwolves and a total of 13 bat eared fox in one outing—all in a land known for lions. I thought 13 bat eared fox might be exceptional, but was told that was common at Duba Plains and another vehicle had also seen 13 that day.

There was some notable campfire conversation that evening. I was sitting near a family of four and posed the often-asked question, “What brings your family to Botswana?” The mother shifted nervously and turned to her teenage son and said, “Do you want to answer?” He responded that he had chosen the destination and that the trip was sponsored by Make-A-Wish. (That is the charity that grants children with cancer a wish.) Now I was shifting nervously. He went on to indicate that he had been healthy for several years and then proceeded to talk enthusiastically about future college plans. That certainly put concerns about water levels, species wish lists, and bird ticks in perspective.

Atravelynn: what an itinerary! Very glad you got James for your guide, it really doesn't get any better than that. Off too an amazing start with close viewing of an aardvark, that's a species I have yet to see.

A young man with a mind like mine to pick a Botswanan safari for his "Make a Wish" -- I hope he indeed will be a survivor and it certainly does put things in perspective.

Great start - can't wait to read more, and see the pictures. I laughed with your "so there..." comment, but I have a lump in my throat from your encounter with the teenager and his family. You seem to have a knack for emotional encounters.

In the morning James 007 discouraged any lingering at breakfast so that we could immediately begin our search for the lions in order to maximize our chances of seeing lion-buffalo interactions that can start taking place at sunrise.

We left camp and a couple of shy kudu bid us good morning before the hunt for the lions was on. We located the lone female from the night before. Soon she was joined by other Tsaro pride members: three lionesses, one 9-month old cub, and the two Duba boys. They waded through the water to make their entrance onto the scene. Two lactating lionesses of the pride were absent because they spent time each day tending to their cubs that were hidden far away. Because Silver Eye (one of the lionesses with a pupil-less eyeball, the result of an eye infection) was known to kill the pride’s cubs, the introduction of new cubs was being delayed until the cubs were more mature.

The pride neared the herd of about 600 buffalo, which concealed itself in thick brush. The buffalo herd was split with the majority of the 1900 in inaccessible areas. So the waiting game began for the lions and for us. The lions rested in nearby shade. If we sought shade, it would obscure our view of the lions and buffalo, so we endured the sun and waited for six hours.

During that time there were some nice views of the cub nursing. We also saw fish eagles clasp talons and plummet several hundred feet from the sky before soaring upward side by side. I finished a chapter The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency--Morality for Beautiful Girls. I am hooked on these wonderful books! Lunch and our sundowner snack for later was delivered by vehicle.

James also provided some entertainment with safari tales and his imitation of small aircraft sounds. Now that helicopters are also used, he had added the thump-thump-thump of the helicopter to his sound effects repertoire. It was during one of these conversations waiting for lion-buffalo action that James produced the Quote of the Trip. He recounted some advice he had given to a friend who was trying to overcome some character flaws. James said, “I told him ‘Try yourself to change.’” No sooner had he uttered those words of wisdom than I knew “Try yourself to change” was the Quote of the Trip.

Finally, the buffalo herd was on the move and the lions were in pursuit. Then we heard what James called the waterfall sounds. The buffalo were moving through the water. Since the water they had entered marked the edge of Tsaro’s territory, this posed a problem for the pride. If the buffalo left their territory, Tsaro would not be able to hunt them in Skimmer’s territory because it would provoke a fight between prides.

Time for some buffalo herding! The lions went to work, fanning out and charging the buffalo to redirect them. When the herd is threatened they band together and face the lions and that is exactly what happened. Even the buffalo that had started to walk and swim across the channels turned around and came back to join the herd. The lions’ strategy had worked perfectly. And it had provided me with some of the thrilling interactions I had hoped to witness. The buffalo were now moving away from the boundary and back into the heart of Tsaro territory.

The remainder of the day we watched the lions continue to follow the buffalo, sometimes stalking them, but not seriously since they had killed the day before I arrived and were not that hungry. While following the lions and buffalo, we had some other nice sightings: a pair of honey badgers, several side striped jackals, and another aardwolf that would have been my best aardwolf sighting to date had it not been for the previous day’s close aardwolf encounter.

We found an elephant in must whose secretions were quite foul smelling. He was trying to knock over trees so we kept our distance. We also found a small breeding herd. James said that usually the elephants start coming in around late July but this year they had arrived at least a month early.

One lucky sighting occurred when James stopped briefly to make a call on the radio. He saw some movement in the grass next to the vehicle and announced, “It’s a serval!” We had excellent views of this favorite of mine at close range.

After 12 hours in the bush, we headed back to camp and encountered the shy kudus from the morning.

That night at the bar I met one of the many people who work behind the scenes to make our safari experience so exceptional. I met the exterminator. He goes to over 60 Botswana camps each year for his work and visits each camp about 4 times a year. With that in mind, I asked his favorite camps to which he replied, “Duba Plains and Savuti Camp.”

atravelynn, great report! We had two game drives with James when we were there in June and we spent a great deal of time talking to him in the evenings. He's definitely the man to talk to about lions! Lebo was our guide the rest of the time and he was also wonderful. We also enjoyed the managers Eva and Paul.

Lynn~great report just one question. You said the introduction of the new lion cubs were being delayed until they were older as Silver Eye was killing cubs...who was delaying the introduction, the lions themselves? if so, that's amazing they figured that out.

The kudus again sent us off for another full day at Duba. En route to the lions we saw two of the side-striped jackals that were everywhere. We found the whole Tsaro pride with all nine members present, making its way through the channels of water to approach the buffalo. We were able to find some shade today while following the lions. In fact I enjoyed an hour catnap after lunch in the vehicle, surrounded by lions in the shade of palm branches. James remained vigilant.

Throughout the day the lions kept tabs on the buffalo, moving when the herd moved and resting when the buffalo sat down. It was when the herd was in motion that 90% of the kills took place. The buffalo were less vulnerable when sitting because it was harder for the lions to cut one weak member out of the herd, away from the protection of the group. One lioness had a single encounter with a male who strayed from the herd, but the pride made no serious attempts on the herd.

After two days without eating, I figured the lions would be getting hungry but James informed me that with only one half-grown cub to feed, it was not necessary to kill often. A pride with many weaned cubs to feed must kill more frequently.

A highlight of the day was provided by a flock of black egrets. It is their practice to hunt for fish by making an umbrella out of their wings so that fish swimming beneath them are suddenly thrust into darkness and become disoriented. James had told me of this phenomenon at our first black egret sighting and even pointed out a picture of it in Newman’s book. So when we rounded a bend and came upon all these black turtle-looking creatures in the water I immediately knew what was happening. The black egrets were fishing! We observed this fascinating behavior for quite some time. I took photos of what appeared to be black turtle-looking creatures.

Then we ran into our serval friend again a couple times near where we had seen her yesterday. We knew it was a she because her subadult kitten was nearby. In total, we would have four close serval sightings in three days.

I had to chuckle at my boxed lunch today. It contained a delicious salad, which of course needed salad dressing. With no little McDonald’s salad dressing packets on hand, an entire bottle of oil and another of vinegar were packed with saran wrapped around their pour spouts.

Then we discovered that my utensils were missing. I offered to scoop the salad up with my spring rolls, but James had a better idea. He would provide me with a “bush fork,” which was a 6-inch spear whittled from a palm bush stem. What a novel idea! I suggested that all packed lunches that required utensils should have these “bush forks” instead of regular knives and forks for a more authentic experience. Of course really authentic is eating with your hands.

I was so enamored with my bush fork that I wanted to request a set of service for eight. Thinking that might be excessive whittling for James, I trimmed my request to 4 bush forks. James obliged and I acquired some great souvenirs. Of course I had to remember to check these four mini-spears in my luggage and not include such weapons in my carry-on.

There was a bit of drama today within the Tsaro pride. When the lions and I awoke from our nap, the cub continued sleeping and was left behind as the pride pursued the buffalo. His absence was not noted until about 5:30 pm when we heard the call of a jackal from the direction where the cub was last seen. His mother immediately reacted to the jackal call and turned toward the palms where the cub had been left. She started calling softly and backtracking. James said the mother’s a reaction was due more to the fact that jackal’s calls meant night was near than any danger imposed by the jackal itself.

Another lioness saw the mother’s behavior and started trotting back to the palms also. I thought I detected a look of concern on these two lionesses’ faces. James confirmed that they were worried. Soon the cub became visible and the three lions ran toward each other for a happy reunion. The day ended happily for them and with some white tailed mongoose and a civet in the spotlight on our night drive, it ended happily for me too.

I'm waiting for Julian's report on Jack's Camp, and based on your report, I may pair it with Duba -- I have only seen one aardwolf, from a distance and for a fleeting moment, at Savuti. Duba seems to be infested with aardwolves. I still haven't seen an aardvark, either.

Some very interesting tidbits...I always thought the black egret's 'umbrella' was to cut out surface reflections so that it could see better what was down there. Maybe it serves a dual purpose. And you're lucky to be able to take such great little souvenirs as the bush forks home with you. Oz is very strict about imports of such things as vegetable matter...a highly finished wood-carving would get through quarantine inspection but something freshly-made in the bush probably wouldn't.

I've done a little research on the black egret/heron and it seems the jury might still be out

wildwatch.com says: "The Black Egret is famous for its unique technique of opening and folding both wings to form an umbrella over the water surface; whether small fish are attracted to the shade, or the shade reduces glare for better visibility, we cannot be sure - but the strategy works!"

Then, the Smithsonian's "Animal" book backs the first strategy; and Butchart's "Wild about the Okavango" goes for the latter, the one I thought was correct.

Michael,
We'll see what all Julian was able to find at Jack's, but in Aug 2005 (I was at San Camp, same game drive areas as Jack's) I saw 2 aardwolves in 3 days. One was just barely photographable, the other at night. Kaelo, my guide at San said that was very unusual.

If aardwolf is high on your list, there may be a time of year that increases your odds of seeing them.

Unfortunately I didn't see any aardwolves at Jack's on my visit, though I did see brown hyaena. The guides said that aardwolves are more easily spotted during the wet season when their prey is more plentiful.

As we headed out for Duba Day 3, I noticed our friendly but elusive kudus were absent and hoped that the luck they had brought the previous days would not be absent as well. We discovered that the buffalos had split into three herds of about 400, 600, and 900, all within the Tsaro pride’s territory. The lions were spilt also, between the largest two herds. That posed a problem if there was to be any hunting today. Which lions would we watch and would we miss the action by choosing the “wrong” group?

That problem was soon solved when the lions near the smaller of the two herds retreated and started heading in the direction of the larger herd and the other Tsaro members. But the cub was part of this relocating group and he was more interested in stalking his mother and running around than regrouping with the pride. They covered little ground.

We returned to the lions with the larger herd and followed them into thick brush that offered some shade. Time for naps. The buffalo sat down to rest in the thicket, the lions slept, and I dozed in their midst, glad to be out of the hot sun. As usual, James remained on alert. Suddenly the trumpeting of an elephant startled both the lions me and we were jolted awake. The lions responded with a roar and I groggily asked, “What’s going on?” James assured me all was fine. Apparently the elephant had stumbled upon the sleeping cats while wandering through the thick brush.

Eventually the lions with the cub found their pridemates and Tsaro was in full force. The buffalo got up and were moving into the open. Things started to look interesting as the lions began stalking an old bull with one deformed horn who had visible injuries between his legs (most likely from an earlier attack) This bull lagged behind the herd.

Any potential lion attack was thwarted by both the herd’s slow movement allowing the laggard to catch up and by the more amorous of the two Duba males. When Silver Eye would advance stealthily towards the bull, the Duba Boy would undermine her efforts by plodding up in full view to come courting. Apparently Silver Eye had lost her cub not long ago and the male believed she was in estrus. We never saw any actual mating.

Then James pointed out that two big bulls seemed to be so intent on their grazing that they were separating from the herd. We watched as the herd moved farther and farther away and the lions were watching too. They crouched, intent on the two males. Then the females slowly positioned themselves in a semi-circle around the two buffalos, taking care to remain hidden. Even the cub was stalking. These fascinating maneuvers took about an hour and James had us in position to see it all unfold. Every cat was in place. James predicted when the bulls tried to rejoin the herd--that was now out of sight--the lions would pounce, concentrate on one buffalo and allow the other to flee to safety. What a brilliant plan these lions had crafted. If executed successfully it would mean dinner.

Suddenly two warthogs poked through the brush about three meters from two lionesses. Both lions and warthogs were caught off guard. The two lions sprang to action and darted after the warthogs. Those little pigs ran for their lives right past our vehicle with lions in tow and drew two more lions into the pursuit. The warthogs escaped and the lions were spent from the chase. The two bulls were still isolated but now the lions seemed oblivious to their plight.

The pride never regrouped for battle and just relaxed at the edge of the thicket with the buffalos well behind them. We watched as the buffalos made their move to join the herd. They ran from behind the thicket and moved adjacent to the pride of lions, but were obscured from the pride by some termite mounds. Eventually they came into view and one of the female lions gave chase but her heart was not in it. The two lucky bulls soon were absorbed into the herd.

It was the heat of the day now, about 2:30 pm. The entire pride moved to a new island of brush that offered shade and the buffalo continued to move away from the lions. When there was about 1000 meters between them, the lions stood up and slowly advanced toward the buffalo so as not to lose track of them.

Eventually we were joined by another vehicle on an afternoon game drive and they watched the pride until it made its way to heavy brush just behind the herd. James maneuvered our vehicle into the brush and we sat with the pride. “They’re stalking,” he observed, and pulled forward. We stayed behind the lions so as not to impede their views of the buffalo. Sure enough about three females were low to the ground, ears back, and inching forward.

Five minutes later we heard the sounds of buffalo stampeding and bellowing. The lionesses slipped out of sight and James was racing through the thick brush cautioning me to duck for branches. As we pulled to a clearing we could see a lioness on top of a buffalo. He went down in seconds. It was Silver Eye who had initiated the kill. James simultaneously positioned the vehicle for a good view of the scene and radioed the other drivers. In an instant Silver Eye was joined by her suitor who rushed in to suffocate the dying beast.

The vehicle that had left moments ago returned to see the remaining lions jump onto the rear of the bull. One of the lionesses was so excited that she leaped back and forth across the carcass as if she were jumping rope. A third vehicle arrived to witness the buffalo’s last moments. James stated that this bull died as quickly as any he had ever seen, with very minimal suffering, for which I was thankful. We soon discovered the crooked horn and realized it was the wounded bull that Silver Eye had been stalking earlier.

Back to the third vehicle—this was two couples who had just arrived in Africa for their first safari and had just begun game drive #1. The lion kill was their introduction to the bush. Rather than considering this an amazing stroke of luck, they became upset and immediately asked to leave. (I still remember my first sight in the bush—it was a browsing giraffe, followed by lots of passive zebra and some silly baboons. If my first sight had been a bloody kill, I might have been taken aback also.)

I was thrilled to have observed such an amazing event in nature and James was just as excited. After all, it was his expertise, driving skills, and judgment that allowed us to witness the lion kill. Once we were stationary and able to observe, James hopped behind the driver seat and sat next to me for a better view. We joked that we would check at dinner to see if any of the guests that left were vegetarians. They were not.

The entire pride minus one Duba Boy fed on the carcass. The missing Duba Boy kept his distance because with Silver Eye in heat, the brothers who were normally allies, were at odds and fought for the right to mate.

When the light died we left the lions and returned to camp, spending only 11 hours in the bush today. Those kudu that were missing this morning were waiting for me outside my tent when I got back. I caught just a fleeting glimpse of three females.

That evening I enjoyed the company of another woman traveling alone. She had rented a car by herself and driven through Namibia on a fabulous 2-week excursion before coming to Duba Plains (and witnessing the lion kill). She also had bungee jumped at Victoria Falls and was considering a repeat of that adventure in Cape Town, since the Cape Town jump is the highest in the world and Vic Falls ranks #2. Amazing, especially since she was in my age range (40-50) and not a kid. My holiday of three 5-Paw or better Botswana camps seemed quite tame by comparison. And that was fine with me.

My brown hyaena sighting was of a lone cub. We'd hoped to see the mum and cubs together but missed out this time. Hopefully I'll see them together next time.

What you said about swapping the aardwolves for the brown hyaena was funny - when the big family of 14 arrived at Mombo, they were dying to see leopards and told me that they would gladly swap the four wild dogs they saw on their morning drive at Duma Tau for the leopard I'd seen that same morning at Mombo.

You've captured another audience member, really enjoying your report! Sounds like a terrific trip so far. Looking forward to your Zib experience as that is one of my considerations if I go to Botswana. Still deciding between Zambia/Bots/South Africa for my next trip.

Carla,
Decisions, decisions! If you are considering Zib, I'll just add a few quick comments now. It is a delightful small camp with a resident dwarf mongoose colony and nesting lilac breasted rollers. There are no baboons and the staff is vigilant to keep it that way. I would not have thought to add this comment until Mike related his terrifying baboons in camp experience in the CONSOLIDATED post.

I've run into two people with Botswana travel experience that said they prefer Zib over the fancier Selinda Camp. Zib offered every amenity I needed.

I am impressed with what the Selinda area delivered under less than ideal circumstances. The earlier excessive rains had produced pools of water all over, including in the Mopane Forests, where the animals could seek shelter.

The waterhole & hide at Zib was a bonus. Even with numerous other sources of water right in front of camp, the waterhole still attracted baboons, warthogs, impala that I missed, and a brief stop by wild dogs!

The managers, Stuart and Tessa, had just arrived 2 weeks ago and were great company and very enthusiastic. BB was super as a guide and passed his "birding test" with flying colors that was given by four British birders staying at the camp.

Great write up on the buffalo kill, it is fortunate for all concerned that it was quick. The one we saw was quick but still took about an hour.

The issue of someone in the vehicle be upset is a difficult one, when we realized that we were going to see 7 Lions take down a huge Buffalo bull I was concerned about DW, but she stuck it out like a trooper and commented that while she would be happy not to see it again (no Duba for me) it would in her mind be hypocritical to just want to see the "nice" stuff.

Knowing this was my last day with James 007 made for a bittersweet morning drive. We checked the buffalo carcass and found one lioness licking the remains. The rest of the pride was lounging in the bushes. We saw the only hyenas I would see at Duba, which were two individual sightings miles apart. More canines appeared—pairs of side-striped jackals and bat eared fox.

We came upon a slightly distressing scene. A Blacksmith Plover was flapping and hopping about near a water monitor that was quite a ways from water. Upon investigation we discovered that the eggs the plover had been tending for days were missing. The plover had laid these eggs on the road and each guide carefully swerved off the track to avoid crushing them. The previous day we had even stopped for pictures of the Blacksmith Plover sitting next to the eggs. The care exhibited by the drivers ended up not benefiting the plover, but benefiting the water monitor. I suggested that the Jouberts be summoned back to Duba for another “Enemies” documentary—Plovers vs. Monitors.

Other interesting birds at Duba were the Collared Barbet, the Pink Throated Longclaw with good views of the pink throat, the Crested Francolin, and Long-toed Plover. Four ground hornbills were also a nice find.

We spent most of our time that morning with the smallest herd of buffalo that were far from the lions and therefore could relax as they grazed. But we knew they would not graze peacefully for long.

I detected some urgent radio chatter midmorning. When I asked what had been spotted, James informed me four giraffe that ventured over from Vumbura had been seen. Funny what causes a stir in different locations. There are no giraffe at Duba so this was a big deal. Nor are there any impala or zebra.

When at last it came time to depart, James and I waited at the airstrip. But the only airplane sounds were James impressions, which were surprisingly accurate, but fell short of getting me to my next camp. Then a call came on the radio that the flight had been delayed 2 and a half hours. So back to camp, fortunately only a few minutes away, for another look at Tent #2, which was lovely. I can see no advantage or disadvantage to any tent location of this small picturesque, small camp.

I gazed over to where the lions had made the kill the previous day, which was not far from camp, and noticed the first vultures I had seen during my stay. About six were circling, but I would have expected more of a vulture presence with all the lion activity.

I don’t know if a 4-night stay qualifies me for dispensing advice on traveling to Duba Plains, but here is my two cents: If you wish to see the beautiful Duba environment, some lions, some buffalo, and some of the other animals and birds in this concession, then a 2-night stay is probably sufficient. Three nights is a safer for bet for lion viewing because when I asked James how long the lions are absent when they head to inaccessible areas, he replied a day or two.

However, if your goal is lions and buffalo interacting, with perhaps a lion kill, I think 4 nights is the minimum, with 5 being what I’d recommend and what I would do next time. Also, I believe a private vehicle is a must to observe lion-buffalo interactions, since you may need to remain with the lions throughout the day and you cannot count on other guests wanting to do that. I consider a private vehicle a luxury beyond my means for most Botswana camps. But for Duba Plains it was a sound investment that paid off in lion-buffalo interactions unique to this region.

Finally, a pair of thin white gloves to protect your hands from the sun when sitting without protection for 5-6 hours would be a good idea, especially later in the dry season when it is even hotter.

The four days I spent at Duba Plains were the most exciting days I’ve had in a vehicle on safari. Maybe not the most varied or prolific game viewing (though darn good), but it was the most intense.

Fabulous report, Lynn. So many terrific experiences. Am I to understand that the Silver Eye lioness kills the cubs in her own pride? Is this common? And very sad for the plover, too...the cycle of life, death and survival is just as dramatic for the smaller species, too.

Lynn: great report thus far, really enjoyed so much detail of my favorite camp that I have visited. I have never ponied up for a private vehicle -- typically beyond my means but I think you are right that this is a place where it could make a huge difference and I would try and do so in the future.

Yes, Sharon, the theory is that she has killed them. Now as to why, my guide James gave two proposals:
(1) she knew the pride could not support the number that were born.

or

(2) initially she killed the cubs because the pride could not support them and then developed a taste for lion cubs, which were easy meat.

It is a disturbing situation and not too common, I hope.

James also went on to say he thought that future cubs would have a better survival rate now that the pride knew the cause of their death. He said if she is aggressive toward cubs from now on, the pride "will beat her" and deter this lethal behavior.

She was very aggressive and a good buffalo hunter.

Predator,
When did you go--year and month--and what was going on with the prides when you were there? Johan had indicated the value of a private vehicle also.

Maybe someday we could have a Fodor's reunion at Duba and reserve a private Fodor's Mobile!

So you agree with the exterminator that Duba is a favorite!

BigCountry and Johan Belgium are up next for Duba (and maybe others I don't know about) so I will be interested in their findings. I hope they report the new cubs are flourishing.

Two and a half hours of waiting for the 5-minute Duba to Vumbura plane ride—now there’s irony. If I could have gotten a running start, I could have just leaped over to Vumbura. Apparently later in the dry season it is possible to drive between camps. Both guides at Duba and Vumbura indicated that the drive can be very productive gamewise, so that could be a rewarding option.

Eventually I was airborne for a few minutes. When we de-planed and made our way to the vehicles waiting at the Vumbura airstrip, Z came to greet me and immediately stated, “It is just you and me during your stay.” What luck! Another private vehicle--but this one without the surcharge!

Z went on to suggest, “I think tomorrow we should stay out all day.” Of course I agreed, even more amazed my good fortune. But it got better.

Next Z asked if the other vehicle could go in front of us, so it could head to tea. We, on the other hand, would skip tea and just head out for our afternoon in the bush and come back in time for dinner, if that was ok. At that point I concluded the “Z” must stand for zealot because this guy was nuts! And I was lucky to get him. I and knew we’d have a splendid couple of days at Vumbura.

I requested lechwe and Z located some herds. We spent a good deal of time with them, which was fortunate because that was my only opportunity to see them in numbers. There was so much water around that they wandered far out of the range of our vehicles. I asked Z what month of the year would usually have these current water levels. He stated late May. It was mid-August.

Z made a good suggestion. Since I had originally booked Little Vumbura, but had been upgraded to Vumbura Plains, he asked if I’d like to experience the boat ride to LV and see the camp. I agreed that would be a nice way to have a brief water activity, since Vumbura is known for water activities. I got quite the water activity, but long before we boarded the LV shuttle! We got stuck in a channel with water creeping to the very top of the vehicle. Z hopped out and worked diligently to increase the traction by shoving big sticks and branches under the vehicle. My job was to watch for crocs. I also watched a herd of giraffes watching Z wade around the vehicle. Fifteen minutes and zero crocs later we were underway again.

The transport to LV, and all of the boat activities, was in a large rowboat with a motor. There were no mekoros. It was a peaceful and pleasant 10 minutes through a wide channel with papyrus and reeds, and some water lilies. Eva, the LV manager, greeted us, offered a beverage, and showed us around the camp--a truly charming place, with nice views of the surrounding water environment. She could not show me any rooms because they were all taken (by the folks who had kicked me out!) As we departed Little Vumbura and returned to the dock there was a pink sunset that I could observe from the water.

Z informed me that the boat outings lasted a couple of hours and were done instead of a game drive. They were similar to what I had experienced, only longer. He said that the boat rides were unlikely to produce any game sightings but were quite relaxing and enjoyable. Finally, he mentioned that usually LV game drives returned before dark so that the boat transfer would take place while there was still light.

The night drive back to Vumbura Plains-North produced an African Wildcat and a Civet. I arrived after dark so the view from camp would remain a mystery until morning. My orientation and introduction (made by Linda of the Linda-Richard managing team) was completed as the staff was beginning a traditional performance. The modern waiver of liability I was signing juxtaposed with the traditional drumming, singing, and dancing in front of me presented an interesting contrast. The performance was followed by a traditional African meal served outside.

When it was time to retire, I trekked with an escort to my palace. It was a trek and it was a palace. I was in #7, the last tent/palace, which was a very long walk mostly on raised platforms, but at times descending onto the ground for about four meters before the railed wooden walkway resumed. For anyone with trouble getting around, a tent near the dining area should be requested. On the other hand, for anyone who would like to do an unguided walking safari, this offers the opportunity. You can really get some exercise in beautiful surroundings. (I was told Vumbura Plains-South was identical in layout and tents.)

My palace was even larger than most since I had the family unit, consisting of two huge tents with an adjoining deck, complete with a private pool (all tents have the private pools). All told, it was far more square footage than my home! While I only glanced at the auxiliary palace across the deck, it appeared to be as finely appointed and attractive as the “mothership” palace. I would describe the decorating theme as striking, spacious, innovative, and most definitely 6-Paw.

In the middle of the night I awoke when nature called. I decided to forgo the lights and make my way in the darkness. Not that turning on the lights was a problem. On the headboard of the bed was a reading light as well as a panel of light switches that looked like the console from the Starship Enterprise.

After quite a hike, I discovered I was not at my destination; I had stumbled into the spacious shower, a place so big you could turn two cartwheels and still remain within the curtained shower plaza. Realizing where I was, I did an about face to retrace my steps. I was sure I was getting close when I scared myself by my own reflection in the full-length mirror, illuminated by moonlight and outdoor lanterns. At last victory was mine and I conquered the loo and headed back to bed for a comfortable night’s sleep.

Lynn: I went to Duba in January 2003, on my first ever safari. At that time the talk was all about the amazing concentration of male lions and what was going to happen with the demise of the Duba Boys which was expected to be coming very soon at that time -- Did James say how old the Duba Boys are because they were supposed to be 10 and at the end of their prime way back then, although they were still ruling 3 prides at the time Tsaro, Skimmer, and Pantry. Pantry was the biggest at around 22 lions, the other prides were both between 10 and 15 lions approx. There were 4 Skimmer Males including 2 just coming into their prime at 5 years old (one was believed to have mated with Tsaro females) and two 3 1/2 year olds. There was a coalition of 5 Tsaro brothers who were 4 years old with mohawks, and then there were 2 intruder males in their prime who had wandered in recently. In 3 days I saw 13 male lions only missing one of the intruders.

We had two major highlights. First was when we heard the Duba Boys roaring and followed the sound to see them staring down one of the intruders, I called him Mr. Handsome and to this day he was the biggest lion I have ever seen. Our guide Katembo agreed it was the biggest he had ever seen -- light blonde mane framed with black and ripping with muscles. Apparently Mr. Handsome and his brother had a big battle with the Duba Boys just days before my arrival. One of the Duba's had a big puncture scar right infront of his hip and a huge gash in his groin, there was actually concern that he may have lost his baby factory. The Duba Boys continued to roar with everything they had and slowly move toward the intruder who was on the opposite side of a channel. The brother who had the wounds seemed reluctant but he had to get his brothers back when he all of a sudden burst into a full out sprint and both of them jumped completely over the channel of 15 to 20 feet in width. An incredible sight! The intruder decided to run away rather than fight 2 by himself. I then watched each of the Duba Boys swim back across the channel, I have my favorite picture framed of one of them just entering the water with a full relection and it is my screen saver so I think of Duba every day. We then watched as the Duba Boys rubbed heads and celebrated their victory by cementing their bond. No doubt their bond probably is special even beyond typical lion coalitions allowing them to have unprecedented success. We were then able to catch up with Mr. Handsome who calmly walked around marking every clump of bushes in the area.

The second major event was on our last drive as we found the two older Skimmer brothers, beautiful in their prime. They stood head to head staring in concern. Across the plain we saw their issue -- the 5 Tsaro males were stalking the herd of 1,000 buffalo on Skimmer territory. We rushed down there and watched the approach as they pushed the herd into a large palm island. Then unfortunately the buffalo lay down and the hunt came to a standstill. The Tsaro's were very uncomfortable knowing they were in the wrong place but they lay down in the palms. The younger Skimmers than showed and with the older brothers walked through a shallow channel toward the Tsaro boys. We were parked right where they crossed the water single file and as each of the 4 approached us their eyes were absolutely on fire. As they came about 3 feet behind the vehicle and my wife and I were in the last row Katembo said Bill & Molly stay very still. The only time I have ever been warned in a vehicle as these lions were not relaxed and very close. Of course they really did not care less about us, they were just intent on the other lions. After crossing they all regrouped and did lots of head rubbing and then laid down on the opposite side of the palms from the Tsaro, probably just 15 feet separated these 9 males. Nothing was going to happen until afternoon now and we had to go off to Mombo and another couple was leaving too but I wish I could have stayed at Duba Plains.

It is definitley my favorite camp both for what I saw but also it had a small family feel beyond any other camp. At the time James was the manager and his girlfriend was the comanager and an amazing cook. Beyond that there was an additional manager who was from Botswana named Ike and I had a tremendous bond with him. We talked for hours about lions and his country and I learned so much. It will just always be a very special place to me. Fodors reunion idea with a vehicle is a great idea!!

BTW, off to a great start with Vumbura -- that is a camp high on my list for the future.

Thanks so much for your detailed review. I head off to Vumbura Plains next week for a three night stay in the family unit. Can't wait!

You wrote that there were no mekoros. Were there just none available that day, or are there absolutely no mekoros? We had hoped to to ride in them this trip since we so enjoyed the experience on our last trip to the Delta.

We had room 1 at Vumbura South a good five minutes walking fast to the lounge and dining area.
Linda is great, very helpful and friendly.
LV is supposed to be getting a refurb soon, not an upgrade to 6 paw, but a redec etc. Which usually means some upgrading of facilities.
We saw some good nocturnal game including a wildcat and a relaxed kitten, I'm not sure I Would have given that up to choose LV over VP. Whilst at VP we did an afternoon boat ride for an hour and got some great bird shots, but again I would prefer that as an additional activity not instead of a game drive.

Napamatt,
So you did boats and not mekoros, too. That would make since since I thought they said there were no mekoros when I asked, but because it was not an issue for me, I did not pursue it.

If you can do an hour boat ride instead of substituting the boat for a game drive substitution that is ideal. Did you have a private vehicle? I recall you stating that you and likeminded friends safari together and pitch in for one. On a private game drive you can probably do any kind of boat ride-game drive mix that you want.

You are right about little Vumbura having reduced night drives. I suggested LV for Predator because LV is less expensive than Vumbura Plains. I recall Predator usually prefering less expensive accommodations and even enjoying ones more rustic than either of the Vumburas. Who knows what the costs will be in the future? And maybe Vumbura Plains will become another birthday gift for Mrs. Predator like the last fancy lodge was (if I have that right.

Travelwmn,
If you have specific boat-mekoro requests, I'd suggest letting your agent know and maybe your requests can be arranged for you if Vumbura knows in advance. That 6-Paw "Silver Service" as they call it can do just about anything so a midday boat ride would probably work.

Predator,
I'll stop writing ABOUT you and start writing TO you.

I wonder where Mr. Handsome is now. That name sure sounds like a wrestler! Maybe his genes made it to Vumbura because those four young male lions of the Kubu pride were a handsome bunch with their glossy golden coats still unblemished by the battles of lion life.

When I was at LV we did do some night driving, though this did mean coming back in the boats after dark - a game drive spotlight was used as a headlamp. I had some great sightings on my night drives, including a serval on the hunt (including a mouse kill).

I did both a boat trip and a mekoro at VP. Being a group of 4 or 5 with a private guide we naturally had our own vehicle at VP. One morning while in search of Garfield (Pels Fishing Owl) I took a Mekoro with Grant our private guide which was great. But I was on a 13 day safari with plenty of very long and all day drives, so felt it was worth missing a drive for the chance of Garfield.
We did afternoon boat trips at both Duma Tau and VP with our private guide, I guess like all things YMMV.

Lynn: It seems Mr. Handsome and his brother that they were calling Hollywood were only around Duba for 4 weeks or so. I'd love to know where they went as well as the Skimmer and Tsaro males. If I ever see James again I will definitely ask because he probably knows where they went or else no one knows. BTW, I just picked up the September National Geographic that has a spread on Duba -- I haven't read it yet.

You do know my travel habits pretty well. I pick my lodges almost completely based on wildlife factors and support community involvement when available. Rustic is fine with me if the wildlife is there and I often do prefer smaller more rustic camps. Sometimes ultra luxury has a pretentious feel that isn't our favorite but we do love a private plunge pool and beautiful digs as much as anyone.

It's certainly possibl to do a mekoro at Vumbura -- I did one at LV. Interestingly, I also saw Pel's fishing owl on my mekoro excursion -- there is a pair that lives behind LV and my guide and I followed their calls across some of the little islands there until we found them.

When I awoke, the beautiful view of those plains from Vumbura Plains, which had been hidden by darkness when I arrived, became evident. Breakfast was light, but offered a larger selection than other camps, including a cheese platter—another 6-Paw perk.

Z and I were off for our full day of adventure, which began with a check of the lion pride, known as Kubu. It consisted of five lionesses and four young males, all sporting the first signs of a mane. One of the females had given birth to an all boy brood of four and now they were teenagers. This pride was in beautiful shape, especially the four young males. Their coats were flawless with not a single scar or mark.

Our vehicle, along with a few others, was nearing the lions. We got a radio call that it appeared the lions were hunting the nearby buffalo. (This pride also hunts regularly in the day, just like the Duba lions. Z said day hunts reduced hyena interference.) Z quickly explained some Vumbura ground rules. Only three vehicles are allowed at any sight so only three could follow the hunt. There were four vehicles in the area, therefore he asked if I would be willing to join a family in their vehicle, bringing the total number of vehicles back to three. That was fine. I made the vehicle switch and headed off to the hunt with my new vehicle-mates, a very enthusiastic family of three.

Later Z explained the potential downside of the private vehicle especially if there were numerous in the area. He said that if those who paid for a private vehicle refused to join others, thereby reducing the total number of vehicles, then that private client could find himself waiting in the wings for two hours or more to see a good sight.

There was lots of strategizing, crouching, and stalking among the five lionesses that was modeled far less effectively by the four young males. It was quite exciting to watch as the hunt played out in the brush separated by the occasional clearing. After about an hour the lions made their move. They rushed forward out of our sight, while the buffalo stampeded and bellowed alarm calls. One loud call was especially chilling. We were on the scene in moments to find several bewildered lions milling about but no buffalo, except those in a distant cloud of dust. The guides believed the lions had jumped a buffalo, but that it had gotten away.

I rejoined Z, who had been tracking a leopard during our separation, but was not successful in locating it. Z suggested we find the lion pride, which had retired under a Kalahari Green Apple tree, and wait for their next attempt on the buffalo that he believed would occur before sunset.

I thought my days of napping with the lions had ended with my departure from Duba Plains. But here I was again with my feline friends, able to take a midday snooze. How delightful. The vegetation of Vumbura provided lots of comfortable shade for the lions and for us. Z busied himself with a book on constellations during my little nap.

In the five and a half hours that we waited and chatted, I learned part of the inspiring tale behind Z becoming a guide. His uncle worked for Xigera back when it had only outside drop toilets and his uncle’s job was to clean those loos. Eventually the uncle found a better job at Xigera. But a prerequisite of the new job was finding someone to fill the old job. He asked Z, who had left school to help his parents support his sizeable family. So Z’s career in the bush began with the Xigera loos. After about six weeks he was promoted to “leave raking and lanterns.” From there it was bartender at another camp. Obviously his magnetic personality was found to be better suited for interaction with the guests than with loos or lanterns. While bartending he studied for his guiding license and picked the brains of the guides he knew. He still remembered the favorite drink of Eyes on Africa’s Nicky from those bartending days! Hard work and perseverance paid off and here was Z sitting with the lions and me, doing a job he loved and at which he excelled.

With my prompting, Z also recounted a tale of the most bizarre incident in his guiding career. (I always like to ask guides about their most bizarre client/guiding/game-viewing incident and I am usually amazed at the responses.)

Here’s how it went: A couple arrived at camp and asked Z to come to their tent because they had a present for him and Z obliged. But instead of a gift, the husband opened up a case and removed what looked like miniature toy car. The man explained that he planned to mount a camera on the rover and maneuver it by remote control so that close-ups of the wildlife could be taken. Wrong! Z immediately informed him this was not allowed and he could not bring the device. Z also expressed his puzzlement to me about what this guy considered a gift. Showing off your own contraptions to others is not usually considered presenting a “gift.” But this guy was full of misconceptions.

The first day out Z noticed that the wife would try to distract him with photo questions or requests to position the vehicle so that the husband, who sat in back, could try to exit the vehicle. Z put an end to that routine and issued a stern warning to them.

The next day while viewing lions, the wife again became quite inquisitive and engaged Z in conversation as a ruse. Suddenly Z heard the whirring sound of a small motor and spun around to see the mini rover rolling over to where the lions were sleeping. The guy was doing a test run in anticipation of mounting the camera. Well, the lions also heard this foreign sound and immediately pounced on the rover. (Funny, lions are oblivious to a huge Land Rover full of chatty tourists wearing hats, extending monopods and pointing big lenses. Once a nearby vehicle’s horn even sounded for several seconds, which resulted in no more than a disgusted look from the lions. But this little rover got their attention.) The guy continued to activate the remote so that the rover’s wheels were spinning in the lion’s mouth. The lion freaked and flung down the rover and gave it a swat. End of rover. The guy was near tears and Z was furious. The guy even had the gall to ask to get out of the vehicle and retrieve the remains of the rover. Request denied and Z immediately drove them back to camp where the couple had the riot act read to them by the camp managers. They were threatened with “deportation” from camp. Apparently it made an impression and Z said they were model guests the rest of the trip.
(Pardon the digression)

At Vumbura I met who I thought was Russ. But now I wonder if it was really Ras and I was just thrown by the accent on the vowel.

Later I met BB at Zibalianja, who is the younger brother of Ras/Russ. BB told me his full name was Barberton, BB for short. When I asked if his brother's full name was Russell, BB said, "No, just Ras/Russ." That makes me think I heard Russ when the name was really Ras, since Russ is usually the nickname for Russell.

So I bet I did meet Ras. I was with him for only part of one game drive when I joined his vehicle of three guests.

Next time I'm at Vumbura I may request Z as my guide -- he sounds fantastic!

The stunt with the rover made me laugh -- that guy must have been crazy...though not quite in the same league as the man who saw a python hanging from an overhead branch during a mokoro ride at Jao and reached up and grabbed it. Naturally it promptly bit him, to his complete astonishment -- apparently he has pet snakes at home and sees himself as the 'Snake Whisperer'. The logic here escapes me -- I have a cat, but that doesn't mean I try to pet the leopards!

Napamatt,
NASA man, good one. I may have to tattle on you to Nicky. You know, we have discussed you--just that you go 2x a year to South Africa and don't overnight in Joburg. But YOUR drinking habits could come up next time.

Hari, I don't recall Ras's teeth. I was only in his vehicle for a short time and had my eyes on the hunting lions. Ras was not real tall.

Anyway—back to the lions—at about 2:45 they ended their naptime, sat up, rubbed faces with one another, and set out to hunt the nearby buffalo that had just started getting up from their siesta. The lions slinked their way through the Kalahari Green Apple Trees that obscured the buffalo and we followed. The herd began a stampede when several lions sprung from their crouched positions. We arrived upon the scene just after the bellows ceased, even before the young males appeared, to see one lioness with a struggling buffalo calf. The other lions soon rushed in and the calf was dead within seconds. In a 10-minute time frame the lions went from sound asleep to stalking and killing a buffalo. Z was right; they did hunt again that day.

For an hour and a half we watched the pride devour the small carcass with occasional internal squabbles and growling and then we moved off. I asked Z if there would be a panicked mother buffalo, who could not find her calf. He told me that not until evening when the mothers and calves paired up for the night would the loss be discovered. I did think of the mother buffalo that evening as the sun set.

But between leaving the lions and nightfall, there was more to be seen at Vumbura. Z spotted the African Hoopoe, my favorite bird. We enjoyed a pair of wattled cranes sunning themselves. We also came upon a couple of male kudu and watched them browse. They obligingly displayed their attractive striped bodies and their massive curled horns. I got my best kudu shots to date.

We saw an African Wildcat and genet on the night drive and were about to enter camp for the conclusion of a 12-hour day when Z stopped and commenced the star safari portion of our outing. He pointed out numerous constellations other than the Southern Cross and Scorpio, which even I can routinely spot. We arrived in camp and I expected to head to my tent with an escort, but there was still more to come. Z was focusing the telescope so we could get a better look at some of the stars that made up the constellations we had just viewed with the naked eye. The star safari continued with Z enthusiastically explaining the beautiful night sky.

Eventually I freshened up and was escorted back from my tent to the bar where my request for white wine produced several options and a sample to see if it met with my approval. The weather had turned cooler so on each chair in the dining lounge was a thick brown robe for guests to wear while dining. There were choices in each course for dinner, with one choice being a vegetarian option. The meal was served in sit-down rather than buffet style. Between the starter and main course, sorbet was the pallet cleanser. All of this is part of the “6-Paw Silver Service.” It made for an elegant experience after a day in the bush. But the part of this “Silver Service” that mattered most to me was yet to come.

Boysen, a Vumbura manager, dined next to me that evening. The terrorist plot involving chemicals had just been uncovered and dinner conversation turned toward the new strict carryon regulations. I expressed some of my concerns about potentially being unable to take my cameras or even memory card with me. At that point, the information that had filtered to the bush was only a plastic bag with money and passport would be allowed. Nothing else. Nothing in pockets, etc.

Boysen overheard my concerns and immediately offered me a solution. He told me that the camp routinely downloads digital camera memory cards onto their computer and burns CDs (at a nominal cost for the CD) for guests. In addition, the camp retains the photos for one month, just in case there is a problem of any kind. I learned there had been two instances when the Vumbura backup files were needed by a guest.

I ended up taking full advantage of this service using more disk space, more CDs, and more time of all three managers than would be expected by the average guest, all due to an “inventory error” on my part in accounting for my several memory cards and what was on them. In addition to Boysen burning CDs into the night for me, I barged (as politely as one can barge) into the manager’s office the next day shortly before my plane’s departure in somewhat of a panic with more memory card download requests. Managers Linda and Richard were there and were delighted to drop everything and assist me. We had a pleasant conversation during the additional downloading and I was even offered popcorn. From my perspective, it appeared they had been waiting there all morning for me and my urgent request. Of course we all know that’s not true, which makes this all the more impressive. With such uncertainty at the airport, this backup offered me tremendous peace of mind and all three managers played an integral role in making me literally a happy camper.

My mind may have rested easy that night, but a strong, cold, howling wind made for fitful sleep. It was still cold when we set off in the morning. During the night the Kubu pride had killed again, right outside North camp’s Tent #1. We checked out the remains and watched the lions have an after dinner drink in a shallow pool (not Tent #1’s plunge pool.) Next we headed to more wooded areas where the animals would be seeking shelter from the wind. There was some nice giraffe and zebra activity and I even bested the previous night’s best kudu shots. Seeing sable in only a 2-night stay seemed a bit much to hope for, but we had nice views of one big bull sable having his breakfast.

Z (living up to his Z for zealot name) had suggested we stay out all morning and arrive at the airstrip just in time to get the most out of our morning. The cold winds and my memory card fiasco only slightly altered that plan. Too soon it was time to leave Vumbura. This was the first time I tried a 2-night stay at a Botswana camp. I will revert to my 3+ night plan in the future. But, with the help of Z, I made the most of those 44 hours.

I've also made extensive use of CD-burning facilities at various lodges (particularly Londoz, where the leopard sightings always meant burning through a lot of memory card space)...great for peace of mind. They had the CD-burning service at Mombo too --no popcorn (or at least I didn't see any) but the CDs are free.

Flying from Vumbura to the Selinda airstrip takes 40 minutes. With the tremendous tailwinds we made it in 20, which was 10 minutes before anyone would be expected to be waiting at the airstrip. Soon enough BB arrived and we drove the short distance to Zibalianja where I met Stewart and Tessa, the enthusiastic new managers.

Now, before I left home, I responded to a post from a Fodorite who had asked about the Selinda area and mentioned she’d be at Zib for two nights about the same time I would be there. Well, there was a woman sitting in the reception area and I discovered she had just spent two nights. So I thought it was worth a shot and I walked over and posed the question, “Did you post a thread on Fodors asking about Selinda?” Sure enough she had and I had met my second Africa Forum Fodorite while traveling in Africa in as many years!

We had a lovely conversation (what else would Fodorites have?) about her previous stop in Hwange working with a wild dog project, her days in Selinda, her next stop that would include horseback riding, and our respective stays at Duba Plains. When she mentioned she had traveled to Southern Tanzania, the conversation ended and the interrogation began. I whipped out my pen and paper and started firing questions, which she graciously answered as I recorded.

After tea I was off for the first game drive with three members of a birding foursome. It was a rather quiet evening so the bird action was welcome. There were several really beautiful lagoons with Pelicans, Sacred and Glossy Ibis, Spoonbills, Open-billed Storks, Yellow-billed Storks, Saddle Bills, a Purple Heron, many Squacco Herons, Slaty Egrets, several other egrets, Cormorants, a Common Moorhen, a Ruff, a Wood Sandpiper, and even a Marsh Harrier that followed the vehicle when we drove off.

Then a call on the radio came in and BB asked if we would like to try to see a cheetah that had been spotted, but was a long ways away and would likely mean no sundowners. I was surprised this actually generated a discussion of the options. What’s to discuss?? There’s a cheetah out there!! Step on it BB!! At least that’s my thinking. I wanted my views to be known so I stated for all to hear, “I always favor viewing wildlife over stopping and drinking, just so you know where I stand.”

We agreed to try to find the cheetah and BB raced like the wind with expert driving skills. The flat open plains of Selinda meant we could see the two vehicles near the cheetah from a long ways off. Then we could even make out the cheetah. It was getting exciting! BB delivered us in time and the light was perfect. So was the cheetah. We watched her as she sat near a lagoon. Eventually she stood up, yawned, stretched and headed off. We followed he for a few minutes, then let her be.

The road back to camp was long and with the whipping wind, very cold. But it was not too cold for the caracal that crossed the road. BB drew our attention to it immediately and spotlighted it when it stepped out of the high grass. Not a great view, but good enough to see it was definitely dark red in color and there was something gray going on around the ears that were the tufts. I’ve always wanted to see a caracal and this was the first one ever. BB said it was the first he had seen in at least two months.

A cheetah in nice light and a quick sighting of a caracal at night—pretty good for a quiet outing of bird watching!

I had finished breakfast the morning of my first full day at Zibalianja and wandered over to the vehicle, which was parked near the home of a dwarf mongoose colony. The mongoose were still asleep but BB was up and ready to go. He told me he had heard hyena that morning, which likely meant the wild dogs were near. Our best chance for seeing them was to get moving. Since I knew three of the four birders really wanted to see the dogs and this was their last day, I quickly informed everybody that BB had heard hyenas and we needed to get going for a good chance to see the dogs. “Oh,” was the reaction but it was not accompanied with a dash to the vehicle.

As of mid-August when I was there, the Selinda people believed the wild dog den was somewhere in Duma Tau’s concession. Most days the pack of 14 would hunt in the Selinda concession, but there could be several days when the pack was not seen. The Selinda vehicles worked together to locate the dogs and share viewings. There was not a warm feeling towards the Duma Tau folks. The border wars were still in effect during my stay.

Game viewing that morning produced some nice kudu views, a herd with 5 to 7 week old giraffes, a black backed jackal, a couple of lone elephants drinking in a couple of ponds, 4 ground hornbills, and wild dog tracks that BB thought were under an hour old. We could have had a shot at the wild dogs that morning. We saw herds of tsessebee, zebra, and buffalo. At times the buffalo could be seen in back of camp too.

Our birding included the Martial, Fish, and Tawny Eagles. Also the Collared Palm Thrush (trying to share some of our brunch), the Red-winged Pratincole, Red-crested Korhan, Grey Hornbill, and a couple of Purple-eared Waxwings in light that revealed their brilliant colors. There were Secretary Birds and Kori Bustards everywhere. We even saw a flying secretary bird and one eating a lizard. A couple pairs of the beautiful lilac breasted rollers had nests at camp.

The sweet at tea that day was a chocolate filled pastry. The only way I could limit my intake of those tasty pastries was if I knew I could experience them again—like for breakfast. So I asked Rose, the server, to please save some for me for breakfast the next day. The pastry plays a big role in the next day’s game viewing.

As we headed out on the afternoon drive, the birders told BB they really wanted to see the wild dogs. His response was intriguing. He stopped the vehicle, got out, and bent down next to some wild dog tracks. He touched his finger in the middle of one of the tracks and stated he was employing African magic to help find them. I told the birders that I often see what I hope for at the last minute, so I’d employ my luck along with the magic. (Getting an early start doesn’t hurt either.)

Despite our best efforts and BB’s magic, we did not see any wild dogs, just a pair of hyenas.

Yep, your help is needed for the cheetah matching, now. But, that's not until tomorrow. Right now, I'm helping Michael (MV) match his lagoon pride lions on another thread. The pics are uploading and will be up shortly.

Day 3 at Zibalianja was dawning and I had no idea the excitement that would be in store, but I knew I’d have my chocolate pastries for breakfast. Munching my pastry, I gazed out over the savanna while everyone else was dishing up their breakfast. I saw numerous running shapes. They had big ears. They were the wild dogs running about 250 meters from camp. I set started jumping up and down yelling, “The dogs, it’s the dogs, there go the wild dogs!” Suddenly the normally reserved BB was next to me and we were spontaneously hugging. Then, I announced to the birders, “I did it! I did! I found the dogs. I told you it might take to the last minute, but I found them.” They weren’t jumping, but I attributed that to bad knees.

We counted 14 dogs go by—the entire pack.

I was ready to hop in the vehicle and go after them. The problem was the birders were leaving soon for the airstrip in the regular vehicle and their luggage was in the uncomfortable luggage vehicle, so as not to crowd them. It looked like there was no vehicle available. After some discussion of logistics, the luggage vehicle was emptied of its three bags and BB and I set off. I thought BB was speedy in pursuit of the cheetah, but he was even faster today.

(Oh my goodness, as I am writing about the wild dogs of Africa, I heard for the first time in six months our local coyotes! They were really yelping! I think it’s that African magic BB did. It works on all canines.)

After about half an hour, the dogs still eluded us and BB told me that the luggage vehicle did not have enough gas to continue the search. We’d need to go to the airstrip where we could exchange the luggage vehicle for the regular one that had adequate gas. So the switch was made at the airstrip as the birders boarded their plane, and we sped off again.

After another hour of searching during which a bat eared fox and ostrich pair were seen, BB said, “There they are.” We approached and half of the pack was resting in an open area. BB radioed the other vehicles while we watched the dogs lounge around.

I was still so proud of my sighting (of course without BB it would have remained a 60 second sighting at 250 meters) that as the other vehicles pulled up next to ours, I would lean over and proudly whisper, “I was the one who spotted the pack this morning running past our camp.” As one of the vehicles left, a woman even thanked me for the sighting. “My pleasure,” I responded, in a Junior Ranger sort of way.

(There go the coyotes again!)

When the other vehicles left, we remained and then BB followed the seven dogs as they ran off to hunt. They were such gorgeous creatures gliding through the tall grass, calling in that whooping manner. They did encounter a warthog that was completely unconcerned with their approach and ended up chasing the dogs away. After about half an hour of sticking with the dogs, they entered rough territory so we turned around and watched them run off.

Now, whenever someone gets too big for their britches, as the saying goes, they are bound to be taken down a notch. Such was the case for me with my wild dog sighting that had me so impressed with myself.

We stopped for a break and some midmorning snacks. It was still very cold so I was wearing my fleece pants and wool gloves. I went off to find a private bush and do my business. When I returned to the vehicle BB noticed that I had prickers all over my wool gloves and he kindly offered to remove them. It was about that time that I became aware of some uncomfortable itching in my underpants. I returned to my private bush, while BB was working on my gloves, and inspected. Bad news, I had those same prickers all over my underpants. I must have squatted into a pricker bush. I did my best to remove all the visible matter, but it was still an itchy ride back to camp.

Prickers in your undies is not good but it is not as bad as this bathroom-stop story. This most bizarre client/guiding/game-viewing incident goes like this: A rather pretentious, unpleasant woman who wore a miniskirt on safari was one of several people out on a game drive. The vehicle they were using was the type with three rows of seats formed in a stair-step manner so that the top seat hangs out over the back of the vehicle. In the middle of a lion kill, she insisted on going to the bathroom. Of course, that meant driving away and leaving the lion kill. Eventually a spot was found for her and she hopped behind the vehicle to relieve herself. Suddenly the guide heard an ear splitting scream. He ran behind the vehicle, thinking maybe the woman was being attacked, and found her with the miniskirt around her knees, one hand grabbing her crotch and the other holding her head. What had happened was that when she squatted down, she had accidentally sat on the hot protruding muffler and she had given herself second-degree burns. She jumped up in pain and hit her head on the last row of protruding seats and ended up with a concussion. I’ll take the itchy underwear over that any day.

Back at camp, I attended more thoroughly to my undies and was getting ready for brunch. I unzipped my tent at 11:15 and glanced over at the camp’s waterhole and saw the seven wild dogs we had been following. They were drinking, wallowing, and resting at the waterhole. Unbelievable! My tent location allowed me to snap a photo of all seven dogs from my veranda. Zibalianja does not have tent numbers with only three tents, but mine was the closest to the main dining area, which is also closest to the waterhole and any activity there. The dogs had brought the entire staff out on the lawn to watch the spectacle. I joined them to get closer to the waterhole. By then the dogs were on their way. They had stopped for just a moment and I was so lucky to have seen that moment!

I believe BB’s African magic with the wild dog tracks did work, but was delayed a few hours. Three wild dog sightings in one day can be summed up as nothing but magic.

Since I knew I’d be the only guest, I had asked if we could have a traditional African meal for brunch. We had sadza (sp?) with corn, spinach, and another vegetable. It was a delicious vegetarian version of a traditional African meal and we ate with our hands

During the heat of the day, I spent as much time as I could in the hide overlooking the waterhole right in front of camp. Here are three hints I have for future waterhole enthusiasts. (1) Take a couple of cushions from the outdoor furniture with you for comfort. (2) When you first get into the hide, look out and take note of any long stems of grass that may obstruct your view and then do some pruning before the action starts. (3) Don’t trip on the thin wire fence that lies flat on the ground during the day between the camp and the waterhole. At night the fence is erected and electrically charged to keep out the elephants. No danger of getting a shock during the day.

While in the hide I saw only a pair of warthogs that came to cool off every 30 minutes or so. It was an excellent view and photographic opportunity. Other animals that visited during my stay were the dogs (as mentioned), several other warthogs, and a troop of baboons. I was told it was also popular with zebra and impala. The proximity of the waterhole—actually two small waterholes—side by side, made for great photos.

Upon my request, Stewart had made some nice arrangements for me with Chris DeBeer, the manager of the walking trails safari. I could do an abbreviated version of the 4-5 day hiking trip, spending one night at Tshwene (one of the two walking trails camps) and participating in a couple of walks. The group he was leading was on its way to Zib anyway, where we would all spend our last night in the concession. BB drove Stewart, Tess, and me to the walking trails camp. Stewart and Tess were able to check out the operation and BB was able to spend the afternoon and evening with his friends, since Zib was now empty.

I was warmly greeted by Chris and Joanna, the managers, and the camp staff. The four other hikers were delightful—a Sabi Sands guide and camp manager of Arathusa and his wife plus an Italian couple who were frequent guests at Arathusa. Now they were all on holiday together in Botswana. I appreciated their good cheer in accepting me as the interloper for the last leg of their walking safari.

In their morning walk, they had encountered two male lions and they were still excited about that. Our walk was through picturesque bush, with more foliage than the terrain near Zib. Our outing included a baobab tree, a warthog, wild dog tracks and a harmless belly striped sand snake.

The outdoor shower with a spectacular view was also a highlight, as much for entertainment as for hygiene. Speaking of entertainment, Chris DeBeer is a one-man show himself and provided many laughs at dinner and around the campfire. Jaco, the guide on holiday, was also a hoot so we heard many a humorous tale that night.

The small comfortable tents were up one story with the flush-toilet discretly tucked at the foot of the stairs. Tshwene was a perfect bush camp.

After breakfast we were off in weather well suited for walking--cool, with cloud cover and a slight breeze. Normally we would walk all the way to Zib, but the amount of water made walking the whole way impossible, so we were picked up by vehicle after about four hours. On our walk back to camp, we saw a herd of buffalo crossing a channel, herds of tsessebee, a lone wildebeest defending its territory, a slender mongoose, and four hornbills that came to the water for a drink.
The last day and a half produced a sizeable buffalo herd, a favorite picture of impalas on a termite mound, the closest tsessebee viewing I’ve ever had, a Barred owl, a Pearl-spotted Owl, zebra herds, and very fresh leopard tracks that we followed, but no leopard.

As I was leaving Zib, I discovered I had left my little hairbrush at the walking trails camp but I could not imagine where. Since there has been some recent forum discussion on hidden images in photos, I zoomed in on my shot of Tshwene walking trails camp interior. Sure enough, on the unused bed, there’s the brush complete with ponytail rubber bands around the handle. It blended in with the bedspread. These eyes that could spot wild dogs at 250 meters could not see my hairbrush, camouflaged by the busy patterned bed spread. This photo, along with pictures of the other camps, will be sent to Julian for the “pictures of camps” thread.

Sadly, I left Tessa, Stewart, BB, and Rose and beautiful Zibalianja. The plane I was on made a stop at the Jao airstrip enroute to Maun. The area around Jao was absolutely spectacular in its brilliant greens and blues. Distraught as I was on this departure flight, I was able to muster some awe for the beauty of this location.

With all the air travel problems, security delays, and general atmosphere of caution, I had no problems returning home until I landed in Chicago. The bus I took from O’Hare back home broke down on the interstate and we were stranded on the side of the road for an hour. Then attempts to phone my husband were unsuccessful because our phone service suddenly stopped working due to some technical glitch (we do pay our bills.) Yes, travel is full of surprises. I expected to see lions and buffalo at Duba Plains, but not my best aardwolf ever. A lion kill at Duba Plains is not completely surprising, but one at Vumbura is. I thought wild dogs at Selinda were a distinct possibility, but never expected them at the camp waterhole!

A delightful account of your stay at Zib and the interlude at Tshwene! I loved it but it makes me ache to be back there. I read parts of it to my wife Yvonne and she laughed very appreciatively at BB's 'African magic'. That's BB...he's a card.

We're assuming the incident involving the woman and the hot exhaust did not occur at Zib because they don't have that kind of vehicle there (or didn't). Is that so?

Tell me, was there a slightly elevated position inside the hide at Zib so that you could see the surface of the water? When I used the hide, you couldn't see the water from any position...you had great low-perspective views of the animals which came to drink but you couldn't see their muzzles touching the water. When I pointed that out to the then manager, he agreed it was something he should try to fix.

Lynn: awesome finish! Thanks for the great report and well done with your wild dog spotting. They liked you so much they came back to your waterhole. In fact you told it with so much excitement that you had the coyotes howling -- it's great to know you are not without wildlife while at home.

NapaMatt,
I believe Jaco and Rocco may have met previously. Jaco was the source of the mini skirt and burned bum story. It did not occur at Zib, John. Yes, Sharon, it has the makings of one of those legends.

Hari,
You have been doing some math. The Zib vehicles have 2 sets of 3 seats (and a canopy.) Six guests are the max. The most we had in the vehicle was 5, meaning 1 sat up front with the driver. With a full camp and everyone on a game drive, there would be 6 in the vehicle, as they have just 1 game drive vehicle.
I'm sure if a private vehicle is booked, they use two.

The pups were still at the den so I did not see any wild dog pups.

Predator,
I appreciate the coyotes at home but there are always groups up in arms about them who advocate trapping, shooting, poisoning etc. Through it all the coyotes have maintained a presence!

Carla,
It's in my brain too. Back away from the muffler and no one gets hurt.

John,
At the waterhole, I never had any muzzles to photograph. The warthogs that were present while I was in the hide did not really drink, they plopped.
But I do not think it was elevated much and could still use some work. Unfortunately I did not have many subjects to view from within the hide so I could not make a good judgment. That is a question I'll ask future Zib travelers too.

Lynn, Great stories thanks for sharing. (I am the lady she met in Zib), but do not share Lynn's talent to share my stories.....saw the dogs at Zib, a few days earlier and followed them on an unsuccessful hunt, but there were 13 dogs that night. The dogs in Zimbabwe were great, lot's of packs and no tourists!!

You're right, Hari...the canopy is easily removeable. We've had the vehicles without canopy, so we could stand and use the metal frame as a camera rest (when the guide deemed it was safe to stand, of course); with canopy of shadecloth; and with canopy of waterproof canvas once when it rained for a few hours.

Lynn, the story of the muffler burn will spread 'round Botswana like wildfire, to the extent that some will indeed regard it as urban myth. But most such stories are true. Many of us in different camps must have heard of the client who was told by his guide how a termite mound was created; then, as they drove past the mound, a warthog stuck its head out of a hole in its side and the client cried out 'Ohmygawd, lookit the size of that termite!"

BTW, the latest LE camp news has some information of interest to those who are familiar with Duma Tau, Savuti and Selinda...Botswana Water Affairs are preparing to build a new bridge over the Savuti channel. And after they've cleared some blockages in the Kwando, even more water can be expected in the channel and the Selinda spillway. It was more than two years ago that the spillway began getting its best influx of water since the early 1980s (an effect now being felt at the bottom end of the delta). One wonders what role tectonics are playing in this phenomenom in combination with seasonal factors.

Lynn: you will appreciate that people cannot take the coyote down, they have evolved to beat persecution. The only way to truly control coyotes is with wolves. Since the decimation of the wolf coyotes have expanded their range from about 15 western states to 49 states. Studies show that shooting, poisoning etc. just promote the development of 'super coyotes'. Basically the coyotes that are smart enough to avoid this kind of trouble have a reproductive response to coyotes being eliminated near them and their litter size changes from 4 to 5 up to 8 or 9. Thus, the most genetically fit start having more pups. This is how despite being killed in bunches they have managed to expand their population and range throughout the entire country. People who think they can control them are just don't understand the biology and are foolish. Conversely, wolf reintroduction to Yellowstone cut their coyote population in half. Very ironic that in eliminating wolves the livestock industry unleashed a much bigger conflict upon themselves.

Hari: Unfortunately it is unlikely to see mountain lions anywhere that you try -- you just have to be extremely lucky to spot one.

California and Colorado are the two best places because both have very high populations of mountain lions and they happen to have lots that live in proximity to people and thus show themselves a little more often. There was a rare opportunity for a couple years near Jackson Wyoming on the Elk Refuge when there was a den on a rock outcropping that was readily visible but typically there is no location with reliable sightings. Anyone that is really interested should sign up for the Earthwatch Project www.earthwatch.org in Idaho where they actively capture and collar mtn. lions in the winter time. Great adventure on snowshoes that I would like to do sometime. They also have a project in Mexico where they trap and collar all kinds of cats: mtn. lions, jaguar, ocelot etc. When not collaring both projects track so these are the best chances to see N. American cats.

I've seen a mountain Lion once, it crossed the road out to Point Reyes right in front of me. I also know people who have seen them in the vineyards at one of our properties up on Mount Veeder, I haven't been tah lucky but a client who left the property five minutes before me saw a mother with two cubs.

GRRRREAT photos, Lynn! Wow. I can't choose a favorite, but the aardwolf most certainly stands out (I've never seen one and you really got good shots of it.) And also the serval - I think that's what it was. Of course the dogs... I love the dark ears in the golden grass. Nice.

Sherry, I feel your Internet access pain. It's been so bad lately that in one week we will switch to broadband. That means I can look at people's pictures at home, not just at work.

On the camera: I finally went digital for my "real" camera only in April. I've had a Nikon Coolpix 5600 for a couple of years to get used to the technology.

Whether you want it or not, here's my whole camera philosophy...

My goal in going digital was to spend less time photographing and fidgeting on trips and more time just enjoying the surroundings. I wanted to point with image stablization and shoot up with up to 12X zoom. I also wanted AA batteries so I could take a sufficient supply and not need to recharge them on the road. (I know recharging is easy in much of Africa, but not other places, and I do not want to rely on electricity being available.)

I tried the Cannon S2, but it was too tricky for me. The Panasonic was great but did not have AA batteries.

I bought the Sony DSC-H2. Of the fancy features, I use continuous shoot mode (Burst) a lot. Once in awhile I use the bracket feature. It has fit my needs perfectly.

I think that one of the features of your photos that makes them particularly special is that you not only have beautiful close ups and exciting experiences but also wonderful wider angle shots which put the sightings in context and show the landscape. I'm both inspired and intimidated for my upcoming trip in October!

Lynn, I assume you are mainly interested in the camps we are going to. We'll be at Londolozi Tree Camp, Savuti, Vumbura and (last but apparently not least) Mombo. In addition, we'll spend some time in Joberg, Victoria Falls, Garden District (assuming the road will be passable after all the problems with the rain), Franschhoek and Cape Town.
As usual, with all of us, I can't believe that it is almost time for this trip. Before I know it, we'll be back and I'll have to sort through thousands of photos and try to write a trip report.

You are right about the panda births. Unfortunately I just read where one newborn panda twin was killed in a Chinese facility when the mother rolled on it. The other is fine. I will check your photos when I use a faster ISP, probably Monday.

Mediatorr,
You have an all encompassing itinerary! With those locations and in October you should have some wonderful sightings and photographic opportunities. If you do any penguin visiting in Cape Town, I'd like to know the logistics for a future trip.

As for the camera, I did not bring a tripod or monpod. Many of the vehicles have bean bags to stablize your camera. I find the bean bags too limiting in most circumstances.

To steady the camera I just hold it still and try to rest it on the edge of the vehicle or against my forehead with my elbows in for support. I use the view finder and not the screen for focusing, which is why I use my forehead for support. I took one shot of running lechwe where I actually felt I was waving the camera around!

The image stabilization, which is present on the Canon S2 & S3, the Panasonic FZ30, and the Sony DSC H2 really helps.

For professionals or those who wish to shoot like a professional, a tripod or at least a monopod is important. Maybe 15% of people in the vehicles use tripods from what I see.

The lens automatically extends and retracts on these 3 camera brands so there are not separate lenses. I think you can buy some special lenses like wide angle, but they are not needed. If you choose an SLR camera, then you need a couple of lenses. When I used a film SLR I took a 35-200 and a 100-300, plus a doubler that I used rarely.

I've always taken two camera bodies. So I had 2 Sony DSC H2 cameras with me in case there was a problem with one. Only once about a decade ago did I have one camera quit working on a trip and I was glad to have another.

The Sony goes up to 12X optical zoom (and I think the others do too) which is about like a 400 lens. For birds the max "zoomage" is usually needed. There was just a new Sony that came out that zooms to 15x optical zoom. That one is the
Sony DSC H5 model.

I am novice in photography and will probably always remain one. There are many photo experts on the board who are very knowledgable and quite helpful. There have been some posts on cameras in the past that reached 200+ if you search under camera.

just back from botswana. just wanted to add a update on duba plains and wild dogs in duma tau (we didnt see them unfortunately but got the scoop on them).
my prediction is for the duba boys to be out within a yr and for the skimmer pride to be in control of the area that the tsaro currently reside. the skimmer males (5 of them) around the age of 4 yrs old are comin into their prime and a coalition of 5 wont be stopped. these guys are in great condition. the duba boys are so old that their canines are worn to the point taht they need one of the females to open the buffalo hide for them to feed. they look to be nearing their end. ans the skimmer pride has more and more moved across the channel to the tsaro's territory. we saw them well within the tsaro teritory and really close to 2 tsaro kills. the skimmer are currently 13 lions and getting bolder. i think only a matter of time. although as lynn said, the tsaro have had several new cubs (we saw some still in the den at about 2 weeks old) so hopefully if the cub killing stops, the pride will reagin strength. but i dont think anything will stop the skimmer males from owning both prides with a year or 2.
in terms of teh wild dog pack, i was told they were 17 dogs with 6 puppies and had come from kwando due to the huge rains this yr. they denned in duma tau teh beginning of aug but moved their den very quickly to an unknown location (they believe somewhere deep in the mopane) so unfortunetly sightings arent good this yr. lynn was very fortunate to see them. will post my report later but wanted to just pop in a quick update here.

Thanks for your update. The Selinda pack, i dont think has denned in the Kwando concession in a couple of years now. I think they hv denned at Duma Tau for two successive years, and hv denned at Selinda the year prior.....however,having read the Selinda website they do go into the Selinda concession off and on to hunt.....

The Selinda pack denned in Selinda territory last year and in 2002...at least. I saw and photographed their dens on both occasions. Because their range covers both Selinda and Duma Tau territory, they do tend to alternate a bit, and sometimes they den very close to or right on the boundary between concessions...as is probably the case this year. They seem to have denned inside Duma Tau this year but the adults have been seen near Selinda's Zibalianja camp as often as if they were camped on the doorstep. They have killed prey inside the nearby Central Management Unit camp (chasing impala into either CMU or Zib seems to be a favourite trick of theirs). For some strange reason that I can't comprehend, the accessibility of this pack (and its size when you count the new pups each year-- between 20 and 30 dogs) is frequently overlooked on this forum. I would be surprised if it's not the most viewed big pack in the Linyanti region, yet the concessions which host it are rarely given the acknowledgment they deserve. I can say with a lot of confidence that anybody who wants to see a flourishing, large pack of wild dogs couldn't go far wrong with a stay at Selinda, Zibalianja or Duma Tau.

Sounds good about the dogs. Hopefully, next year they den on the Selinda/Lebala border, so that both concessions get good viewing. Wouldnt that be a better trade-off? Anyways, currently, i would estimate the pack to be 17+6pups? that's quite a good size pack......

Interesting developments at Duba. I never saw the Skimmer pride but it seems to be a force to be reckoned with. While viewing the Duba Boys I was thinking that I was observing the end of an era since they are 14. Your comments make me contemplate a return to Duba already!

Big Country: thanks for the update! Same was being said of the Duba Boys back in Jan. 2003 as I reported somewhere above things were volatile with 4 Skimmer Males and 5 Tsaro males all coming of age and the Duba's looking worn at 10 and 1/2. Here we are approaching 4 years later and against all odds they are still doing it but I'm sure you are right the last hurrah has to be approaching. I too would like to see them once again before the end.

Great to hear the Selinda pack is having another successful year! Sounds like there were 3 dogs on pup sitting duty when Lynn saw them.

John: I totally agree this is a remarkable pack that is seen often and a stay in one of those concessions is a must for anyone with a real dog focus. As mentioned before I saw this pack at 21 dogs in 2003 while at Duma Tau.

Lynn,
Thanks for your encouragement about our itinerary. I really can't believe that we'll be leaving in, oh WOW, just over three weeks. No, I'm not at all ready.
I've been a long-time novice photographer and always will be. As for my camera equipment, I actually have a Canon 20d and a Canon S60 (a P&S) but I'd love to have another 20d so that I wouldn't have to worry about changing lenses so much and getting dust in my camera. Your pictures and your reply here have actually gotten me thinking about using the S60 for the more wide- angle shots and the 20d for the longer shots because I have a 70-300IS lens and your point about Image Stabilization is well-taken. When you stabilize using the vehicle, can I safely assume that they turn off the motor and that others in the car can be depended upon to avoid moving around and shaking the car?
When you say you use continuous shoot a lot, do you mean that for action situation you take as many shots in a row that the camera will let you do automatically and then pick out the best one(s) from the sequence? Do you select the f-stop or do you let the camera do it? If you do it, it looks like you generally pick the narrower stop in order to maintain more depth of field sharpness; is that correct? (After looking at you pictures several times in contrast to others which were often also good,) I think that might have contributed greatly to the quality of your pictures because it often worked better than blurring the background might have done.
I will certainly let you know about the penguins. We definitely plan on spending on day on the Cape Point drive. If you have a special interest in penguins in general, I have pictures of several types from our trip to Antarctica a few years ago -- although I'd have to see if scanning them would work sufficiently because they are on film.
I very much appreciate your assistance as well as the assistance of all on this board. It's the best. I'm sure none of the other forums have such faithful and knowledgeable participants.

Savuti, Duma Tau, and King's Pool share one concession, but each camp has its own 'core' area -- Duma Tau on the western end of the concession along the lagoon, Savuti in the channel, and King's Pool on the eastern end -- which gives the experience a different feel at each camp. The concession is so large that for the most part they don't cross paths too often, though if there is something particularly exciting in a particular area of the reserve vehicles from the other camps will drive over to see it.

The driver definitely stops the vehicle so you don't have that engine motion. They willingly turn it off, even if just moving a few feet, then turning it off, move another foot, off.

I choose where to point and how much to zoom then I let the camera sensors or whatever they are go to work.

You are right about the continuous zoom. I use it for even very little action like when an animal is just slowing moving its head. Then I delete the majority of the shots.

I like penguins and believe Cape Town would be a good opportunity to see them. Antarctica would be awesome. That is on my long list. If you have info and whenever you get pictures of penguins or anything else down there together--no hurry--send it my way, please. Scanning does work for film photos. Thanks for the offer.

Thanks for your excellent report, your trip reports are always a pleasure to read and also very informative. Your trip report from last year about your sleep-out at Chitabe led me to request a sleep-out next June while we are at Chitabe Trails. We will also be at Selinda next year, so I really enjoyed your Zib review.

Our experience at Little Vumbura last year did include night drives after sundowners before returning to camp on the boat. It's a short ride through the channel back to camp after dark, and does not seem to pose any problems (except for gnats in your face). It's actually quite fun arriving at camp by boat instead of driving in, and that's part of the charm of LV.

Thank you Brandywine. Your information on Little Vumbura night drives is helpful as well. That makes LV even more attractive if you don't have to skimp on the night drive. Gnats are a small price to pay.

I am also wondering if the lack of mekoros while I was at Vumbura was a temporary thing due to the high water levels.

Now if Mala Mala and Phinda are in your future travel plans, I'll start thinking you are following me!

When we were at LV in March 2004, the flood was coming in and the water level was rising rapidly every day. The first afternoon the boat trip from the vehicle park to the camp was only about 5-10 minutes, but the next day the water was rising so much they were concerned that the earthen dam might break and flood the vehicle park even more than it already was, so they had to move the vehicle park further away to a location above the dam. This made the boat ride between the vehicle park and the camp about 30 minutes, even a little longer in the dark, and even a little longer if the boat got caught up in the reeds. The longer boat ride was through a maze of papyrus, I don't know how they found the correct route. Some of the "channels" they had to navigate weren't really made for a boat the size of the one we were in, so they had a hard time maneuvering some of the tight corners. Actually, the first time or two the boat ride was fun, but then it got a little tiresome, you don't really see any game and the view is primarily 8-foot tall papyrus on all sides.

There were several mokoros there when we visited, and the morning mokora ride was well worthwhile.

Mala Mala and Phinda (I know I've been warned and a year from now I'll let you know if you can say, "told you so.") could be considered add-ons to my overnight in Southern Sun at Johannesburg.

I have 4 nights at Mala Mala in the no-single-supplement room. Then I'll go to Phinda for a week. I want to do three rhino trackings and a leopard tracking like you mentioned. I'd also like to visit the Zulu community and hopefully they'll let me in. I know you had your visit canceled. Maybe I'll do a boat trip or something else there.

Hi Lynn. I read the second half of your trip report and loved it. Then I opened your pictures and the first couple of pictures made me want to read the beginning of your report again. What a wonderful trip report you have written and the photos are beautiful. You were able to see so much! I guess I should stop reading trip reports here because I want to go everywhere. I love all the lion pictures. And the aardwolf - the best shot I have ever seen of one. And the bat eared fox, and that handsome sable, and the cheetah with the glowing eyes. And the giraffes and the dogs. What a trip!!

I know what you mean about reading the other trip reports. That's what got me to consider South Africa. Before Fodor's I had never even heard of Phinda. I also didn't know the h was silent until I booked it over the phone with the agent.

Thanks Bat,
I just hope I am never the main character in any of these outrageous client tales.

Hari,
I am staying at Forest Lodge. Originally I thought I'd do a few nights at Vlei as well. With a couple thousand Rand separating these two places, I decided to stick with the less expensive Forest.

as my earlier post predicted, it looks like the skimmer males are moving closer and closer to taking over the Duba Boys reign. the latest update on wilderness-safaris website describes it well. The Duba Boys sure are smart though. So for anyone not having seen these awesome creatures i would suggest not putting off visiting Duba. Without these bros it will never be the same place. I'm very happy I got to see them on my most recent trip in aug as on my previous visit, we missed them.
hopefully i can figure out how to post some video i got of them feeding and keeping the tsaro females at bay when they tried to get a bit for themselves.

Guess I was away when you wrote this excellent, well written, humorous and incredibly helpful report. It sounds like you had some sightings - wow. Patience does pay. Now I must get a trip quote for each upcoming trip - one more special thing to look forward to.
Thanks;
Sherry